Capsule



Feb. 12,1929. 1,701,811

- K. K. KELLER CAPSULE Filed Oct. 5, 1927 lt nten'ted Felt. l2, ltdfih.

i v filed @eteher 5,

The present invention has to do with a capsule of the usual gelatine type and mod].- fications thereof, or other means for dispensing medicine in a soluble container, and rea lates particularly to means for marking such capsu e or container whereby it.may be made to carry indicia as selected by the maker or user. i

' Included among the objects of the invenlo tion to be hereinafter described, are the following:

An unique capsule or container having as a part thereof externally visual data indicating its origin, as for example, the naufe of is the physician whose prescription is therein contained or the name of the druggist who com ounded the prescription, or the name of t e manufacturer of t e capsule or of the medicine therein.

For a better understandin of the invention, reference should be ha. to the single sheet of drawing hereby made a part of this description, and in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a capsule .25 using one form of the invention herein described; and

Figure 2 is a pore ective of the die used for marking a caps e such as is shown in Figure 1.

Like reference characters are used to des= ignate similar parts in the drawing and in the description which follows.

Only one form of the invention is disclosed. Numerous other forms could be described, but for the purpose of describing the nature of the invention, the form illustrated has been deemed all that is necessary.

Generally in the structure of a conventional gelatine capsule for apothecaries use, so there are two parts, both transparent. The capsule here described comprises a body hav ing a closed end and a cap, the cap being closed at one end and being adapted to telescope upon and around the body. The body is filled with owdered, semi-solid, or liquid material in t e usual way, and the cap is slipped thereover. as has been the practice for many years.

Preferably the marks employed and as disclosed in Figures 1 and 2 are placed upon the body A of a capsule. The cap B thereof is transparent, and such marking will ordinarily show therethrough. The capsule may be colorless, the usual form, or it me. be tinted with ink as is frequently toun or with red as is also used, or with any other color.

Of course a transparent capsule is to be preferred, but if the capsuleemployed is not transparent, the markin may be disposed on the body thereof so t at it is not covered en the cap is slipped thereover.

When a transparent ca sule is used the marking may extend the ull length ol. the truly cylindrical portion of the body.

Perhaps the simplest way of impressing upon the body of the capsule indicia such as is herein described to to provide a holder for the body and which is adapted to be seated therein during the marking process. This holder is not altogether necessary for the pressure upon the capsuleduring the marking process is not enough to crush it if the marking die is skillfully handled.

In Figure 2, is shown a marking die C made of hard steel such as tool steel. The die material usually is heated to a temperatureat which it liquefies when all the carbon ossible is extracted. About ninety-two one hundredths (SQ/100%) percent of carbon is next added, as the process of making the die is completed. This material has been selected after a large number of experiments because of its peculiar qualities w ich are conducive to good results in mar gelatine capsules, and because when used or with a combination of gelatine, it produces superior results.

The die has the letters D to be impressed upon the capsule in relief. Said die C is heated to a temperature approximating that or boiling water, or higher, and then it is brought into contact with a molten mass of colored liquid wax, or colored wax and gelatine, the proportions thereof being from one half wax to two thirds wax. Sealing wax may be used without the gelatine but in combination with gelatine, it appears to adhere more strongly than when used without this addition. Upon a colored capsule, a white wax is employed.

The next step in the process after dipping the die in the wax is to bring the die completely covered over at its lettered end with a thin layer of the wax-gelatine composition into contact with the capsule suitable filled, (althou h filling is not necessary), or acapsule hel upon a spindle or holder as above described. In most instances, the capsule to be marked may be held in the hand.

The die C carries a small portion of wax or wax compound upon the projecting material D thereof and a larger quantity in the space between the raised letters. It is held against the body A of the capsule for a short time, varying from one-fifth ,4,) to two (2) seconds. A short period of contact is to be preferred when the die C is heated to a higher degree of temperature.

The pressure employed is sufficient to hold the die C securely against the capsule but without any destructive deformation of the capsule materiaL. The heat of the die C and the wax carried thereby causes a slight indentation or depression upon the body of the ca sule followin the lines of letters D and in t e indentation t us formed and which is relativel shallow, the wax carried by the letters D o the die C is deposited.

With the removal of the die 0, the excess rtion of wax, that is, that portion thereof intermediate the letter D of the die C, is removed with the die C, leaving upon the capsule A an inwardly pressed ortion showing the mark upon the die 0 an filled with wax of the color selected. The capsule A is then ready for use and may be filled if it is then re quired, or a number thereof may be prepared in advance and kept on hand for future use.

it is contemplated that a die 0 as herein described ma be attached to an apparatus for forming t e bed of capsule, and with the formation of capsu es, an impression of the die C covered with wax may be obtained. Thus a gelatine capsule may be marked during the process of its manufacture, one additional step in its manufacture being made necessary.

Usually a color-of wax contrasting with the capsule is employed as for example red wax (and gelatine) upon a colorless ca sule or a white wax mixture upon a tint capsule. The letters thus formed will be clearly visible to the eye. The different sizes of capsules may be treated with difi'erent dies to obtain larger letters or one die may be used for all sizes.

A straight edged die rather than one with a curved end is preferred, andthe impression of the die 0 upon the capsule A is preferably obtained by a rotary or arcuate movement of the non-contacting end of the mold so that the impression of the die upon the capsule is of short duration but at the same time complete.

Wax and gelatine such as are impressed upon the capsule are medicinally inert. They make a harmles mixture. It produces no appreciable taste.

the name of the content it has a By the method herein described, a capsule may be marked with the roducers name, a dru gists name, a manu acturers name, a trafemark, the name of a medicine, or otherwise. In the hands of the patient, the name of the hysician, druggist, or manufacturer is noted every time a medicinal dose is taken. This proves an ethical way of advertisin for a physician or for a druggist or for a drug manufacturer. It keeps the mark used upon the capsule ever before the patient and also before all of those who come in contact with the patient and the treatment that he is receivmg. 4

For marking capsulated medicines with high utility! A unique and highly useful vertising medium is also produced, without medicinal.

effect upon the patient and without adding a burden either to the druggist or dispenslng manufacturer employing the means herein described.

This application is for the article produced by the method claimed in my patent numbered 1,636,823, dated July 26, 1927.

As a modification of the invention, the capsule may be marked by embossing, the upstanding materials bein formed of the gelatine of the capsule itsel or from an adhering material applied thereto. Likewise, there can be an embossin in the wall of'the capsule and the dGPI'GSSlOBS formed upon the inside wall filled with a colored material.

it is also conceivable that the invention may comprise a capsule having a mark impressed upon the capsule by printing where the depresion produced by the printing will be relatively slight or negligible.

In addition to the application of the invention to gelatine capsules and the like, the teachings herein set out may be employed in marking elatine covers or caps employed n bott es of medicine, perfume, and the e. The markings on such covers may be made a part of such covers in exactly the same manner as when a gelatine capsule is employed.

What I claim is new and desire to procure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. As a. new article of manufacture a cylindrical gelatine capsule having a mark imprinted upon the cy indrical wall thereof in a contrasting color.

2. As a new article of manufacture a gelatine capsule having rounded exterior surfaces and having a mark imprinted upon the exterior wall thereof in a contrasting color.

3. As a new article of manufacture a c lindrical gelatine capsule having upon t e surface thereof a readily visible marking in a color contrasting to that of. the capsule the marking being im rinted thereon in a line extending axially o the capsule.

4. A capsule comprising cylindrical parts adapted to telescope the inner telescoping part carrying an imprinted identify' mark sule the marking being disposed in said de 111 a color contrasting to the color of t e eappressed portion and the cap being transpan 10 sule ami visible through the other part. ent and rendering the mark readily visible. 5, A capsule eomprisingaeyiindncai body 6. A gelatine capsule having thereon a 5 and a, transparent cap safl body having] a marking of a. wax composition, the marking shallow (iepreseed portion extending axia 1y being of a. different color from the capsule thereof with a mark im rinted thereon of a. i color contrasting with t e coior of the cap mITH K. KELLER. 

